Raducanu, first WTA 500 final and Vekic, the first since the Olympic final

The British Emma Raducanu emerged victorious from the intense day at the Queen’s tournament in London, and after winning her two matches on the same day, she reached the final where she will play against the Croatian Donna Vekic, who eliminated the local Katie Boulter.

Raducanu, 23, born in Toronto and who won the United States Open five years ago, in 2021, began the session with the quarterfinal match, pending on Friday. She beat Uzbek Kamila Rakhimova 6-3, 7-5.

Afterwards, the British, who also has in her history the final she reached this year in the Cluj Napoca tournament, in Romania, and which she lost to the host Sorana Cirstea, reached the third final of her career after beating the American Iva Jovic, sixth seed, by a double 6-2.

Raducanu will play for the title with the Croatian Donna Vekic who previously eliminated Katie Bolter 6-1 and 6-3. It is the first final since 2024 for the Balkan player who entered the main draw of the tournament as a repechage from the previous phase (lucky loser)

Vekic won in one hour and six minutes and is aiming for the fifth title of his career. The first since Monterrey won in 2023. A year later, in 2024, she won Olympic silver in Paris.